"Fortunately, I also see small gestures of loving kindness: people who bring hot soup, sandwiches, coffee or tea and distribute them to people, who are very grateful, and you see the joy in their eyes, despite the tragic situation," he says again.
Fr Król is one of the many Salesians directly involved in the field in this emergency. To help him - and so many other Salesians, young people, volunteers and religious of the Salesian Family like him - to do what he is doing, the whole Congregation is on the move.
Since yesterday, another Polish Salesian, Fr Krzysztof Grzendziński, Economer of the Province of Poland-Warsaw, has been in charge of supervising the implementation of activities, services and programs in the field throughout the territory directly involved: not only in Ukraine, but also in Slovakia, in the four Provinces of Poland and in some other Provinces in the immediate vicinity of Ukraine strongly affected by the mass flight of civilians.
With a team of other Salesians and appointed personnel, Fr Grzendziński will help make the final phase of the great relief effort currently underway more efficient.
A work that continues day and night. To cite the most recent updates:
The "Missão Dom Bosco" Mission Office of Portugal has already sent a first tranche of aid, while its fundraising continues, replicated locally by Salesians from various works who are looking for goods and first aid items.
The Spanish Salesian NGO "Bosco Global", belonging to the Province of "Spain-Mary Help of Christians" (SMX) has also launched its own campaign in favor of the Ukrainian refugees and in the next few days has already planned a first conspicuous donation. In the meantime, various works throughout the province are conducting moments of reflection, prayer and sensitization to peace. The Salesian Sports Club of Merida has made an unusual proposal: it will donate one euro for every point scored in the next two rounds by its basketball team, and two euros for every point scored by its handball team.
The Provincial of Brazil-Campo Grande, Fr Joao Carlos, has also made it known that his province is participating in the international competition of solidarity with a donation and the offering of prayers.
And the whole of Salesian Italy continues with its respective initiatives: for example, the Province of the North East (INE) has launched a new appeal for the collection of medicines and asks for availability to support the Salesian house in Chişinău that is welcoming refugees from Ukraine.
The Special Circumscription of Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta (ICP) has already sent to the Greek Catholic Vice Province of Ukraine a large sum of money to meet the first needs, has collected the availability of 85 families and several communities to welcome refugees, and renews the appeal to use also the "powerful weapons" of prayer and fasting.
